In 1734, a Creek Indian Chief presented feathers from a bald eagle to King George II of England as a sign of everlasting peace between his nation and England. The chief told the king that the eagle represented the power of the land." Since then, the bald eagle has been our symbol of independence and strength.

Actually, eagles have been popular symbols of power since ancient times, and many nations and empires, including the Roman Empire, used the eagle as their official symbol. The eagle appears as part of many other American symbols, such as the Great Seal of the United States, and on coins, paper money, and stamps.

But how would you feel if our national mascot was a turkey instead? Believe it or not, this almost happened! Benjamin Franklin actually thought the turkey would make a good national bird because it was native and unique to North America, but after much debate, the bald eagle was finally chosen in 1782 because of its majestic appearance.

The bald eagle's wingspan averages seven to twelve feet; it stands three feet tall and weighs from eight to twelve pounds. The eagle can fly as high as one thousand feet, and its eyesight is so good that it can spot a fish from three miles away!

Wild eagles generally live from 20 to 30 years. Young eagles first breed when they are about four years old and keep the same mates for life. During the breeding season each pair claims a territory around its nest and keeps other eagles away.

Not too long ago, however, our national symbol almost became extinct because of hunters and deadly pesticides. By 1970, only about one thousand bald eagles remained in this country. Since then, special efforts have been made to protect this living symbol of America, and there are several thousand bald eagles soaring over the continental United States today.

In May 1998, the bald eagle was removed from the list of the endangered species.

 

The following are two from my belt buckle collection.